You can eat fish and save the oceans: Simplifying sustainable seafood
My entire career has been built on my ability to hold a grudge.
I’ve always had a fondness for the ocean, which can be linked to my cultural heritage and its close ties to the sea. My family is from the Açores, an autonomous region of Portugal made up of nine islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
Here, fishing is the main economic driver and the ocean is a way of life. Anybody who lives in the archipelago will tell you that those who depend so heavily on the ocean for survival are also her greatest protectors. Fishing is done under strict regulations, whale watching tours are operated from a conservative distance, and trash is properly disposed of before it even has a chance to reach the water’s edge.
As I pursued my undergraduate degree in Environmental Governance at the University of Guelph and learned more about issues threatening the oceans, I became passionate about becoming an ocean protector myself.
This led me to a volunteer position with a marine conservation organization known for their radical approaches to protecting marine life. As a volunteer I learned about marine pollution, ocean acidification, illegal fishing, and shark finning. I felt a mix of anger and confusion learning about these topics. Anger that this beautiful underwater world was being destroyed and confusion that anybody possessed the means to act so violently against an ecosystem that provided a necessary source of life for marine animals and humans alike.
A couple of months into my volunteer stint with the organization, they hosted a film screening for a self-produced documentary about illegal fishing. The event kicked off with a volunteer coordinator announcing, “There is no such thing as sustainable fishing. You can’t eat seafood and care about the oceans.” I chuckled, waiting for the punchline, but it never came.
Instead, I looked around to see a room full of heads nodding in agreement. About two dozen people, some veteran members of the organization and others, community members who popped in for the event, all seemed to be in agreement with, what I considered to be, a factually incorrect statement.
My stomach sank as I tried to process the scene unfolding in front of me. I felt the same anger and confusion that I’d been feeling throughout my young journey as an ocean protector, but now it was directed at the organization itself. I couldn’t understand why they would share this lie and why so many people seemed to believe them.
As I tried to wrap my mind around what was happening, my mind flipped through images from my life like an old film: my family in the Açores archipelago pulling limpets from volcanic rocks; the fishermen coming into port after weeks at sea, excited to show off their catch and proud of their efforts; and right here in Canada, laughing with my cousins while peeling mountains of shrimp over Christmas dinners; and battering cod fillets with my mom in my childhood home as I shared the details of my school day.
Over 3 billion people around the world rely on fish as their main source of protein and 59.5 million people are employed in the seafood industry. What were these people supposed to do if we all stopped eating seafood?
Island nations such as my own who rely on seafood for both economic livelihood and food security, would be devastated. These economies are built on two things: fishing and tourism. Losing the fishing industry would leave many island nations at the mercy of tourism, which has its own set of problems. Losing access to fish as food would leave residents of these areas at risk of poverty and nutrient deficiencies. And replacing seafood products with meat will only exacerbate the climate crisis that’s wreaking havoc on the oceans and island communities around the world.
If we all stopped eating fish, my family on the Açores Islands would have no way to put a roof over their heads and limited nutritious protein options. On top of this, their cultural identify, which is deeply rooted in seafood dishes and traditions linked to fish consumption, would be destroyed. Eventually, the lack of economic opportunity and overwhelming food insecurity would force them to leave the islands.
I quit the marine conservation organization following that film screening event, marking a turning point in my career. I know first-hand how important it is for fishermen to be able to harvest seafood sustainably to feed their families, their communities, and support their livelihoods. I also know that fishermen are the greatest stewards of the ocean. And so, I have dedicated my life to proving that seafood consumption and ocean conservation can co-exist.
Why are people against seafood? Myths about seafood consumption
One common myth about seafood consumption is that it supports destructive fishing practices and overfishing, which is untrue. The Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) most recent report on the State of the World’s Fisheries and Aquaculture shows that 78.7% of all landings of marine fisheries come from biologically sustainable stocks.
Another myth about seafood consumption is that overfishing on behalf of fishermen is a driving force of fish depletion in our oceans. Fishermen have no incentive to overfish. Their livelihoods and job security depend on sustainable fishing practices. Moreover, being a fisherman is not just a job – it is a way of life deeply rooted in one’s identity. Fishermen are proud of what they do and the role they play in protecting marine ecosystems.
Frankly, it’s also really difficult to overfish in North America, even if you wanted to. Canada and the United States have some of the best fisheries management worldwide. Their fisheries management plans have led to the successful rebuilding of fish stocks and the safeguarding of our marine resources.
The greatest threat to our oceans is not overfishing rather, it's ocean warming and acidification caused by climate change. While land-based proteins contribute significantly to GHG emissions, seafood has the lowest carbon footprint of any animal protein. It is the most climate-friendly protein on the planet. Some products, like farmed shellfish, are even better for the planet than any kind of plant-based protein.
So, if you really want to save the oceans. You ought to be eating more seafood, not less.
The importance of seafood
Seafood consumption has been and continues to be, a significant source of nutrition, employment, and cultural value for communities around the world. Even OCEANA, the world’s largest marine conservation organization, encourages the consumption of sustainable seafood to support marine conservation.
Sustainable fishing practices are not only critical to managing fish stocks for consumption but are necessary to support the health of the entire marine ecosystem and support coastal communities. In Canada, seafood contributes over $6 billion to the country’s economy.
Numerous studies have also linked a variety of human health attributes directly to the consumption of seafood. Omega-3 fatty acids derived from seafood are important for reducing inflammation and preventing the onset of diabetes. Shellfish like mussels are one of the best natural sources of iodine, required for normal thyroid gland function in humans, and fatty fish help to control inflammation in the body, supporting immunity in the fight against viruses such as COVID-19.
Sustainable Seafood Consumption
The science and mixed messages behind sustainable seafood consumption can be confusing. A few of the misconceptions originate in the following issues:
A convoluted supply chain and globalization of the industry.
Seafood is the most highly traded commodity in the world. On average, seafood passes between seven different hands between the time it’s pulled out of the water, and when it reaches your plate. All of this movement makes it challenging to track details about the product and provides opportunities for mislabelling to occur.
Mislabelling or a lack of labeling.
Mislabelling occurs both on purpose and by accident. Seafood can be purposefully mislabelled along the supply chain for economic gain. For example, mislabelling a lower value species as a higher-value species. However, mislabelling can also happen by accident – some fish are incredibly difficult to identify once cleaned and gutted.
Mixed messaging found on ecolabels and seafood guides.
There are hundreds of ecolabels and seafood guides in circulation today. These often contain different information based on different sustainability criteria, making it impossible for consumers to know which labels to trust. The certification processes of large labels such as the MSC has also been called into question in the past, creating trust issues with consumers.
Misrepresentation and uncertainty of stock levels.
Since we can’t actually see and count every fish in the ocean, fish stock levels are based on scientific modelling and years of evidence in order to produce an estimate. While these estimates are heavily backed by science, being an “estimate” leaves room for ambiguity, which is often taken advantage of by people trying to argue on one side of the seafood consumption debate. In addition, activities such as mislabelling can skew these numbers and undermine efforts to produce accurate stock numbers.
All of this is to say, it’s hard to make sustainable seafood choices if you don’t know what fish you’re eating. And the easiest way to know what fish you’re eating is to speak with the person who caught it.
Recommendations for Sustainable Seafood Consumption
Wanting the world to stop eating fish to end overfishing is not a practical solution to support our oceans. Cutting out seafood would deprive millions of people of an essential protein source and livelihood. Seafood is the healthiest, most affordable, and environmentally friendly source of protein on the planet.
Seafood consumption is not a question of “to eat or not to eat”. There is no simple solution to the challenges faced by our oceans and with a population expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, we need to find sustainable sources of food which safeguard our oceans.
The easiest way to find sustainable food sources, is to get to know your food producers. The cultivation of personal relationships between producers and consumers emphasizes community values and allows fishermen to promote the social dimensions of sustainability through consumer awareness and education. As a consumer, you can feel confident in knowing that you’re getting a sustainably harvested product from a local fisherman and feel good knowing that your purchasing decisions are supporting a local fishing family.
A great place to start building relationships with your local fishing community is with tools like the Local Catch Seafood Finder and the UW Sustainable Fisheries Map, which can help you find community supported fisheries and other sustainable seafood suppliers in your area.
If you don’t live in a coastal area, you can still cultivate relationships with the folks who work at your local fish market or seafood distributor. Don’t be scared to ask questions! Here’s a basic script to get you started:
“Hi, I’m looking to purchase some seafood, but want to make sure that I’m making a sustainable choice. Do you have a moment to tell me about where you source your fish from and how it’s caught?”
Trust me, people in the seafood industry LOVE to talk. Any self-respecting fishmonger will be able to tell you where your seafood was caught, what kind of fishing or farming practices were used to harvest it, how long it’s been out of the water, and usually – the best way to cook it!
Connecting with seafood harvesters and fishmongers, and asking these important questions is critical to supporting the sustainable fisheries, marine ecosystems, and the fishermen who feed us.
Fishermen are the greatest stewards of our oceans. Supporting fishermen is supporting ocean conservation.